Love Under the Full Moon
by HardyBoy
Summary: A story chronicling the romantic adventures of our favorite werewolf and his lovely bride. RLxNT. An AU where love conquers death, because they deserve a happy ending. Chapter 1 is up. Please R&R so I know whether to continue the story or not. Thanks!
1. Chapter 1: The Session

**Chapter 1: The Session**

Nymphadora Tonks never considered herself a "girly girl" by any means, but the 7th year Hufflepuff always felt so alone on the expansive campus of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She gazed into her full-length mirror and began to change particular things about herself, all the while wondering what combination of looks would entice even a little bit of interest from the opposite sex. After fidgeting for a few minutes, she sighed and returned to her normal state, with shining light brown hair down to her shoulders. She gently slid her glasses back on and opened up her copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_. She opened the book to the back pages, where the most recent scores were being etched out before her very eyes. The Chudley Cannons had begun a five-match long "road" trip, first topping the Patonga Proudsticks in Uganda, and were currently leading the Tchamba Charmers by a score of fifty to thirty in Togo. As her eyes scrolled down the scores, she snorted and thought to herself, "Gee, Tonks. You wonder why you don't have any dates… you insist on being called your last name, you care more about quidditch than any boy in Hogwarts, and your idea of an amazing date would be to play wizard chess and chat about nothing in particular… you really need to change…"

Tonks set her book down on her nightstand and buried herself in a pillow. Thoughts of inadequacy raced through her brain. It was then that the door opened and her roommate, Grace Tierney, entered. She saw Tonks crying, and, being one of her few friends, sat beside the couch as Tonks looked up at her.

"What's wrong Tonks?"

"Wotcher, Gracie…" Tonks said through sniffles. "I… I just don't feel… like I'm enough… I'm overlooked by every boy in this school…"

Grace gently rubbed her friend's back, having heard this same problem for many evenings. "Shh… it's okay Tonksie… I'm sure you're going to find a great guy who will love you and treat you like the great person you are… you just have to wait for the right one… none of these stuck up boys who have their heads so far up their arses that they could wear themselves as hats."

Tonks let out a small chuckle as Grace continued. "Besides, didn't your mum say it's best to focus on schoolwork and then on the Quidditch Cup when you're all caught up with the homework?" Tonks nodded. "Now what do you say we go down for some dinner. After that, I met this wonderful counselor here on the grounds that might be able to do you some good, even if it's just having him as someone else that you can talk to…"

A weak smile and a nod came from under the pillow. Tonks sat up on the bed and dried her tears, then followed Grace into the Great Hall for dinner.

After the two roommates ate their fill, they walked down one of the well-lit corridors to the counselor's office. A big oak door with a gold nameplate was now all that kept Tonks from trying to resolve her problems. "I… I don't know if I can do it."

"Of course you can. You talk to me just fine… I'm sure you'll find he's easy to talk to. He's a great listener, from what I've heard." Tonks sighed, resigned to her fate, and knocked on the door twice. While waiting for an answer, she examined the nameplate.

R. Lupin

_**Counselor**_

A tall, thin man answered the door with a smile. "Can I help you?"

Grace gave Tonks one last reassuring smile and headed back to the Hufflepuff common room. After watching her roommate disappear down the hallway, she looked up at the man, seeing his perfectly chiseled, clean-shaven face and his gorgeous hazel eyes. "Well? Can I help you?"

"Yeah… I… umm… I'm… Tonks?"

"You don't seem very sure… would you like to come in? Perhaps that could jog your memory." He said it with a charming smile that eased her embarrassment slightly. All she could muster was a nod as he opened the door to allow her in. He motioned to a plush red couch by a window and then closed the door, casting a silencing charm on the room. Tonks tripped slightly on the elegant light blue rug resting in the middle of the room and stumbled onto the couch as the counselor pulled up a matching cushioned armchair beside her.

Noticing her embarrassed silence, he began with that amazing smile again. "Hello, I'm Remus John Lupin, and I am a professionally licensed counselor. Before we begin, I would like to assure you that our conversation is kept thoroughly secret and is protected by the strongest charms and hexes, so that if I speak any of your secrets out, I shall be punished by having my lips seared together for a year." Tonks chuckled a little. "Now, those who come in here are by no means crazy, and I can tell that you aren't, due to the fact that you haven't started throwing pillows and books around the room. If you feel so compelled to, however, I just ask that you please clean it up after our session." He sighed as if relieved to have the formal business out of the way. "Well, with that being said, who might you be? Are you this 'Tonks' that you spoke of earlier?"

Tonks blushed a deep shade of red and nodded. "Yes, I am. My… roommate suggested I come see you because I've been having some problems with my… uhh… you know, self-image? I guess… I guess I just want to be one of those girls that all the boys want to be around, but it's never worked that way for me…"

"Well, Tonks, I'm happy to say that your problem can be easily fixed. All you have to do is look into this mirror here." Remus pointed to a gold, full-length mirror in a free corner of the room. Tonks walked over, being sure not to trip again, and gazed into it. As if instinctively, she began to change her hair to a blond color and put it up into pigtails. Remus snapped to attention in surprise.

"You're a… metamorphagus!"

Tonks nearly leapt into the air in terror as her eyes widened. "Is that bad?"

"No no… it's just a surprise, that's all. Your ability is quite unique and should be considered a blessing!" Tonks exhaled deeply and smiled as Remus spoke. His words seemed to ease her little by little.

"Now, what do you see in that mirror?"

"Well, I guess you can tell that all I can see is something that needs to be changed…"

He nodded. "Well, I propose you look at things in a different light. Rather than seeing this person that needs to be changed, why not look at it as someone who is unique in her own special way, and should not have to change herself for others to be content with her? You are a very talented young lady, and you shouldn't be put off by these boys here. Believe me, there is a world much bigger than Hogwarts."

He finished with a smile, but as she stared at herself, Tonks could only see her imperfections. As he droned on, she began to develop an irrational hatred toward this man, who suggested that all of her problems could be fixed with a mere change of attitude. She began to wonder what gave him the entitlement to pass judgment on someone who was inferior to all the other girls. As these thoughts flew around her head, she finally twirled to face him, stumbling over her own two feet. Regaining her balance, she let all hell break loose.

"You think you're so smart, don't you? You think that I can change everything that's wrong with me just by a change of the way I look at myself? What you're suggesting I do is to lie to myself and pretend that my unattractiveness is not there. How dare you! What makes you so sure you know me? You have no idea what it's like to be a freak that nobody can stand. I'm lucky if I even have one friend, while I'm sure you just laugh yourself to sleep with all the stories you hear. Try taking a walk in my shoes and see how great it is to not feel wanted by anyone!"

With that, she grabbed a random book from the bookshelf and heaved it at Remus. If not for a quick duck, it would have hit him square in the forehead, but had luckily thudded against the wall behind him. Tonks made her way out of the office and slammed the door shut.

Remus sighed to himself. "Well, that could have gone a lot better…"

A/N: Please R&R so I know whether to continue this story or not. It would be much appreciated. In return for reviews, you shall receive one counseling session with our favorite werewolf.


	2. Chapter 2: A Chance Meeting

Tonks fluttered her eyes open and looked around the empty Aurors' Office. She had decided to wear her bubblegum pink hair down today. Although she loved the spiked look, she had to admit to herself that the long flowing look certainly wasn't bad. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes with pink-painted fingernails and examined her surroundings. With all the lights off, all she could see were the silhouettes of empty desks and the power saver lights on the computer monitors.

"Lumos." In an instant, every light in the room came on, momentarily blinding the witch. Once her eyes got adjusted to the light, Tonks found a sticky note on her desk that read, "OoTP tonight at 8… DON'T BE LATE!" in scribbled black ink. At last, her escape. Having worked a sixty hour week amid reports of Voldemort rising back to power in the London underground. But now, at least momentarily, she'd gain a little bit of solice, ironically in a meeting that discussed detailed plans of a countermovement against Voldemort. It wasn't the discussion that allowed Tonks to breath a heavy sigh of relief. It was seeing _him._ Sure, he was older, but he was intelligent and passionate about his causes. Maybe it was the way he looked her in the eyes, both when he was being incredibly sweet and eloquent, and when he was looking at her with intensity and fervor. She was never intimidated by his intensity. She knew he would never hurt her. She hated to admit it, but the "independent woman who doesn't need guys" stance that she crafted ever since being mercilessly denied while in Hogwarts was slowly crumbling thanks to this mysterious man. If only she knew his NAME! As she prepared to Disapparate to 12 Grimmauld Place for the night, she resolved to herself that she would find out this man's name, no matter what it took…

Remus Lupin sat at the dining room table, joined by Molly and Arthur Weasley and his close friend Sirius Black. Remus sat at the table with his legs crosses, sipping on a cup of tea while looking thoughtfully at the latest edition of _The Daily Prophet._ "Rubbish," he snorted. Remus slowly stood up. It didn't help that he was in his late thirties and it CERTAINLY didn't help that his transformation weakened his legs due to the fact that they completely reversed direction when in wolf form. His knees creaked as he finally came to a standing position. All eyes in the dining room looked quizzically at him. "Going out for some air."

Remus gracefully strode out to the steps leading to 12 Grimmauld Place. He took a deep breath, reveling in the cool autumn air. Suddenly, with a loud bang, Remus felt a warmth flood his body. Blood rushed to his face as his eyes grew wide. His hand grasped for his wand but he could not find it. Every hair stood on end…

Nymphadora Tonks had rushed herself, and, in one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, Apparated in such a position that she was now kissing Remus directly on the lips! Tonks let out a surprised squeal and quickly drew her lips back. She looked up at the man she had accidentally kissed, praying that it wasn't her cousin Sirius. To her relief and embarrassment, it was the mysterious man that she had admired at every Order meeting.

Remus's face was turned a bright red. He looked at this woman and could only smile, not really sure of what to say. "Well, that is certainly a first for me…"

Tonks let out a nervous giggle. "Sorry… uhh… well, I'm Nympha… I'm Tonks." She looked down at her black Converse high-tops as Remus chuckled.

"Ah yes, Miss Tonks. It's a pleasure to meet you again." Her head snapped up to meet his eyes.

Remus continued, "I'm Remus Lupin, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance… again." The two just stood there for a moment, trying to absorb all of the simultaneous shocks of the last few minutes, until finally, Remus opened the door, motioning for Tonks to enter before him. "After you, Miss Tonks."

"Just Tonks, please?" He nodded, and the two entered the house.


End file.
